MovieChat Forums > Examined Life (2009) Discussion > Some parts are almost unwatchable...

Some parts are almost unwatchable...

posted 14 years ago by qofreason
6 replies | jump to latest

I'm not sure what to think when Zizek comes as off as one of the more sensible thinkers groups. At least he, Appiah and Singer had a decent connection between their topics and their environs.

Most of the other philosophers strained to connect meaning to their setting. Hardt's lost on a dingy in Central Park. That guy is totally full of *beep* clueless to the extreme. He talks about transforming something he does not understand: human nature.

Nussbaum faithfully recites her schtick, motoring along at a pace one does not typically associate with the peripatetic philosopher.

By far the worst interview subject was the chick in the kimono. Wow. She has quite a racket goin' on.

Cornel West was typically all over the place, although I suppose apologists would say this jives with his jazz sensibility. He's the first speaker, I think he also appears somewhere in the middle, and again at the end. Thankfully he makes more sense as he goes along, and one of our final images is a pretty blond recognizing him on the street. Ah, it's good to be a public intellectual.

[–] ssseuth 14 years ago

Meaning some of philosophers suck in this movie.

[–] CuriousGrl 14 years ago

The Kimono Lady was so "Far Out". I was like what is she talking about. She couldn't keep a coherent sentence together and was going off topics. I laughed in certain instances.

The bottom line just like it was for centuries only the privelleged who didn't have to toil and work had the luxury of discussing philosophy and theorizing ideas.

About the meaning of life. There is meaning. It is Objective simple as that. There is different meanings to different people. Where it may be servitude for some (like the man in the film, forget his name), it could be the rearing of family for another, or the joy of writing or film making for some like this director. Again even subjectivity can be very objective.

Good try for the first film or 2nd, maybe a more well followed topic instead of haphazard material would prove more usefull.

My two cents :)

[–] ham_and_cheese 12 years ago

Yeah, I loved how the Kimono woman was like .. I can understand you giving the other people only 10 minutes, but how can you restrain ME to just 10 minutes .. and then she was rubbish XD

I liked the guy who started around the Gucci shoes the most. I stopped watching at around 35 mins in.

[–] Kookyburra 11 years ago

Fast forwarded through Kimono woman.

She reminded me of every pretentious pseudo intellectual I've ever met. Like nails on a blackboard.

[–] Blue_Jaunte 14 years ago

You're right. The quality of the interviewees was incredibly variable, and the subjects they chose to address even more so. Not at all a cohesive film.

Unfortunately, the stand-out bit of information I took away from the film is that ANYone can get a PhD. The only person who left me wanting more was Peter Singer.

[–] outsider-2 12 years ago

Peter Singer is probably the most accessible of the lot - check out some of his books for more, good stuff.